Offers
By
Teen-Typist
Disclaimer: Just borrowing a few characters for a short while. I promise to give them back.
Author's Note: Sorry I didn't do Krum's accent very well. Second and last chapter. Dialouge isn't word for word because I can't find my GoF book.
Thanks to Gwendolyn James for reviewing!
In the Common Room, Part I
Hermione was on a chair in front of the fireplace with her books spread out in front of her. She was getting to work on more than just her charms essay. On one side she had her essay, with the books spread out all around. On the other, she had a parchment where she was doodling hairstyle possibilities for the dance and a dress robe magazine she'd snuck away from Parvati's stash of teenage witch magazines. She covered up the parchment with her scribbles and the magazine as she heard someone approach.
There was a short pause and then the person took another step. "Hermione, I need to ask you something," he said.
It was Neville.
"Yes?" she asked, looking up from the work she was pretending to do.
"Would you—er, would you," he felt his nerve failing him. "Would you gudanwidme?"
"What?" she asked, perplexed. She was sure that last word wasn't in the dictionary.
"I asked, er, would you…w-would you help me with my potions homework?"
"Of course I will, Neville." Good. He hadn't seen her drawing. But it was homework. It was always homework. She didn't mind helping Neville when he needed it. He was always very grateful and very nice about it. It was Ron and Harry that really kept taking her for granted. That's all they seemed to come to her for anymore. It was funny, for a moment, she'd been sure that Neville was going to ask her for more than homework help. "Let me just clear up this mess and I'll help you."
"That's okay. I have to look for my potions book. Probably under my bed. I'll be back in about 15 minutes." He left, hurrying up the stairs to his dormitory.
"I'll be right here." She watched Neville leave and he seemed nervous. Strange. But that had been a close call. She stuffed the page of doodles into one of the books, along with the magazine. She stacked up the books in a pile and started organizing her notes.
It wasn't long before Neville came back, without his book.
Hermione looked up as he approached. "Where's your book?" Maybe he'd lost it again. It had happened before.
"Hermione, I don't really need your help with the potions homework. Well, I do, but that's not why I'm here right now." The words tumbled out of his house at breakneck speed. "I was wondering if you'd go to the Yule Ball with me, that is if you want to. Just as friends. You're one of my best girl friends. No, I'm um, not like a girlfriend, but er, uh, you're always so nice to me and you always help me when I need it but, so, I was wondering, if you don't have a date, do you want to go with me?"
Hermione blinked. Oh no…How was she supposed to tell him she already had a date? The direct approach was probably best. She took a deep breath. "I'm so sorry, Neville, but I've already got a date for the Ball."
"Oh, you do?" he asked weakly.
"I'm so sorry." She was genuinely sorry. Neville was a nice guy. At least he had the brains to figure out she was a girl, unlike Ron and Harry. They were drooling over Fleur and Cho. What was so great about that Veela anyway? Hermione did feel sorry for Harry though; she'd forgotten to tell him that Cho was currently dating Cedric Diggory. Then again, that wasn't completely her fault; he didn't bother mentioning that he had a crush on Cho in the first place, no matter how obvious it was.
"Who are you going with?"
She considered telling him, but decided against it. Ron and Harry weren't going to be the only ones to be surprised; she'd shock everyone. "I can't tell you. I want to keep a secret so I can surprise Harry and Ron."
"Do you know if there's anybody else who doesn't have a date?"
Hermione went through the list in her head. There were a very few girls still available that she knew of, but she knew they were too shallow to go out with Neville. He wasn't ugly, but he certainly wasn't a very dashing fellow. "I can't think of anyone really in our year. I'm sorry, Neville. I'll let you know if I hear something. If you come back down in a little while, I'll help you with your potions."
"Thanks," he said, leaving.
Hermione got to work on her Charms essay (really this time), but looked up when he she heard Neville come down the stairs again. She saw him approach Ginny and talk to her. Hermione smiled as she saw that Neville looked immensely relieved as he left the common room and Ginny went back to talking with Colin. She almost laughed; if Ron knew Neville kissed his baby sister on the cheek he would go mad.
After a while she decided her charms essay was a lost cause for the time being and motioned Ginny over.
"Ginny, I need your help. You're the only one I can talk to about this."
"I'm listening," she said, intrigued.
"I've got a date for the ball."
"You mean it? Did my brother finally…?"
"Ron?" She blushed. "Oh, no, I…it's someone else."
"Who?"
"I don't really want to say. It'll sound silly."
"Hermione, I'm not helping you unless I get to know who it is," Ginny said firmly, sitting back and crossing her arms.
Hermione saw there was no way of getting around this and motioned her closer, looking around to make sure no one was listening. "Viktor Krum."
Ginny's eyes widened. "Really?"
"Yes. But you can't tell anyone. I'm leaving it as a surprise. Nobody thought I'd get a date at all. I want to shock everybody. But I'm going to need your help. I…I don't want to look like me on Christmas. I want to look beautiful for one day, not just ordinary."
Ginny looked grim. "I don't know much about makeup and dresses and hair," she said. "I grew up with seven brothers. I've got some ideas though. What were you thinking of some?"
Hermione explained something along the lines of what she wanted. For starters, she probably ought to try some of that Sleakeazy's hair smoother that Parvati and Lavender had once suggested to her.
Ginny nodded. "I've got a couple of favors to call in with Fred and George for covering for them this summer when Mum almost found some of their hidden order forms after she thought she through them all out. If I send those two out, we'll be able to get whatever you need. They might actually have some ideas for you come to think of it. I'm gonna go track them down."
"You won't tell them about who my date is, will you?" Hermione asked worriedly.
"Don't worry. I'll tell them that you got a letter from a secret admirer and you want to impress him. No worries." She grinned and left.
Hermione relaxed a little, knowing that she wasn't going to be completely on her own for this, but worried a little all the same.
In the Common Room, Part IIHermione was talking with Ginny over their plans when Ron and Harry walked in, looking miserable. They'd been turned down for their dates. Really, she thought. Harry ought to have said yes to one of the girls that had asked him earlier. This is what he got for not taking the initiative earlier. And Ron was simply being too picky.
"Hey! Neville's right you are a girl…Harry can go with Ginny and you can come with me.
"I've already got a date," Hermione said.
"Come on, we know that's just something you said so you wouldn't have to go with Neville," Ron said, rolling his eyes.
"No, I really have got a date."
"Then who is it?" challenged Ron, glaring at her.
"I'm not telling. It's a surprise."
"You don't have a date."
"Yes, I do," she said firmly.
Harry turned helplessly to Ginny, "What about you?"
"I can't, I'm going with Neville," Ginny said, blushing a little and knowing how furious Ron would be at Neville (even for just kissing her on the cheek) if he knew.
"Hermione, we all know you don't really have a date."
"Ronald, just because it has taken you four years to realize that I'm a girl, it doesn't mean that it takes everyone else quite so long." Counting Ron's, this was her fourth offer. She stalked away. She'd show him. She'd show them all. Hermione looked over her shoulder. "Coming, Ginny?"
"Right behind you."
THE END